Evidence in Elyria homicide surfaces in search warrants

ELYRIA — New evidence has surfaced through search warrants that were released April 9 in the Antonio Spraggins murder.

Andre Jackson, 19, and Jordan Williams, 25, both of Elyria, each were indicted Feb. 20 on two counts of murder and one count of felonious assault in the Jan. 5 homicide of Spraggins, who was 22 and from Elyria.

Spraggins was found dead in a bullet-ridden Chevrolet Equinox near Foster and Lake avenues. When officers were dispatched to the scene at 2:41 a.m., police located Spraggins body slumped over in the driver’s side of the silver Chevrolet. The vehicle came to rest in a snow drift off of the side of the road with its engine running and tires still spinning, according to Elyria police Capt. Chris Costantino.

According to the search warrants, Jackson told police that Williams cut his hand when he broke the driver side window of Spraggins’ car before shooting him. After Williams was arrested, police noticed injuries on his hands, knuckles and pinky finger.

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According to the search warrants, Elyria police located a red Geo Tracker, in which Jackson and Williams used to flee the scene, and believed it to be registered to Williams’ mother. Police found the car at Williams’ home where they determined that the vehicle matched witness descriptions at the time of the shooting.

After obtaining a search warrant, police found a 9 mm bullet casing, which was consistent with the caliber of the gun used in the shooting.

A gun was found at a Cleveland home where an individual at the home, Octavius Smith, said he had taken the gun from a vehicle Jackson and Williams were riding in after the shooting. The gun that was recovered was a 9 mm caliber handgun which is consistent with the caliber of the bullet casing found at the scene and the bullet casing found at Williams’ home.

According to the search warrant, Jackson and Williams were at the T&A Bar & Grill prior to the shooting and were seen getting into the same car together.

Members of the U.S. Marshal Service Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force along with Elyria Police Department detectives arrested Jackson and Williams, along with 21-year-old Oberlin resident Jeris Geiger Jan. 9 in connection with the homicide. Geiger had been charged but was not indicted.

Officers had discovered several bullet holes in the driver’s side door of the Equinox and the window shattered.

An autopsy conducted revealed that Spraggins died from a single gunshot wound to his torso, according to Costantino.

Jackson and Williams are currently be held at the Lorain County jail. Their trials are scheduled for April 14.

About the Author

Kaylee is the Avon-Avon Lake reporter, but you can catch her covering different stories across the county. She is a Kent State University alumna who enjoys family, friends and everything Cleveland. Reach the author at kremington@morningjournal.com
or follow Kaylee on Twitter: @MJ_KRemington.